What in the world would I do without Hayden Cross in my life?

Live peacefully, that's for sure.

Go on normal dates. Worry about taking my SAT score instead of dealing with a bunch of crazy wannabe mobsters.

And now, to top it all off, Hayden Cross has decided to intrude on the one aspect of normalcy in my life with the girl who helped me put him in his place. Maybe I was the one who got shot? Maybe I'm the one in a drug-induced hallucination?

"So...Cross..." Nate begins slowly, glancing at me to make sure I won't pounce over the table and strangle Hayden. "What have you been up to lately?"

As Nate speaks, Hayden's piercing gaze is zeroed in right on me, eyes daring me to go ahead do whatever it is I'm planning to do to him. I'm not going to waste a perfectly good plate of spaghetti. That would be cruel to the spaghetti. And my stomach.

Ignoring my deadly glare, Hayden turns his attention to Nate and smiles. "I've been well. How about you, Nate? How has your return to Valleyfield been?"

Despite his smile, there is nothing polite in Hayden's tone, and the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end when Nate stiffens at his remark. Both boys lean forward in their seats, glares challenging in a way tells me there is something else—something more sinister—going on here. And when I glance at Abigail, I catch her nudge Hayden in the ribs, and much to Nate's amusement, his gaze falters.

"It's been good, Cross." Nate answers with a killer smile. "Better than yours."

Hayden's eyes narrow. "Why the hell would you say that?"

Nate moves to wrap his arm around my shoulder and pull me close to his side, catching me off guard. "Reasons." Abigail rolls her eyes and Hayden's irritated glance stays put. Is it getting hot in here? No? That's just me?

You probably match the red tablecloths, hun.

"How long are you here, Abby?" I quickly ask, hoping this change in subject will stop the mood of tonight from going anymore sour. Maybe she'll get the hint and get out of here. I don't want to see either of them (preferably) ever again.

"How's your brother?" Nate wonders, still holding me close.

"He's fine," she snaps. Smiling at me, she answers, "I'm actually leaving tomorrow morning. Hopefully, I'll be back." She looks at Hayden. "I have to take care of a few things at my parent's new place in New York."

Okay, could you at least try to be a little less suspicious?

"I didn't know your parents moved to New York," I say.

Abigail's smile falters and the cheerful, badass girl I once looked up to appears sullen, too tired for someone her age. "There was an accident."

My breath catches. "What? When?"

Abigail doesn't meet my eyes. "In August. It—um, my mom isn't doing too well."

"Your mom?" my words are thick on my tongue. Abigail's mother always took care of Corry and I when our mom was at work or too drunk to do any good. When Abigail graduated, they moved away to stay with her brother. I still got letters and cards from them. She still kept in touch with my mom. "When? Why didn't anyone tell us? I'm so sorry, Abby. I didn't know."

"There's a lot you don't know and I'm so sorry about that."

"What happened?"

Wiping her tears, Abigail stares me straight in the eyes and says three words that send me spiraling down a black hole. "It was Derek."

My throat tightens with a fresh swell of tears in my eyes. When I look at Hayden, he looks away, and my confusion triples. Derek hurt her mom. How did she even know Derek? Is this the way she was here? It makes sense. Her sudden appearance when Hayden came back. She pretended not to know me when those guys were in the deli. But why couldn't I say anything? I was one of her closest friends!

"I—I'm sure it'll be okay," Abigail continues.

"I'm sure it will," Nate answers dismissively. Suddenly, I don't want to be near him. I don't want to be anywhere near any of these people. "Ember, where are you going?"

"Oh, um. To the restroom." I answer, scrambling out of my seat as fast as I can. The air here feels too thick. Everything is too close together. I need room. I need to get out of here. "I'm sorry. I'll...I'll be right back."

I don't know where I'm going—only that I need some fresh air before my head explodes. I glance back to see if Nate is following me. He's not. And for some reason, it makes me feel even worse.

What the hell is going on with you? I ask myself. Why are you freaking out?

I don't know.

Outside of the restaurant, the patio is overflowing with people chomping into Italian food like it's their job. I hear someone call my name—surprised to find that it's Hayden—but keep walking. I don't want to talk to him either. I don't want to know anything else about this stupid gang and their stupid ideas.

"Ember, wait!" Hayden calls.

"What?" I demand, whirling around to face him. He stops short of a foot in front of me. "What the hell do you want, Cross?"

"What's gotten into you?" he asks and I see red.

"What's gotten into me, Cross? Are you honestly going to ask me something like that?"

He holds his hands up in surrender. "I'm not trying to be a dick, Emmy. I'm being serious. One second you were okay and the next you looked like you were about to have a panic attack."

"Wouldn't you if you found out the guy who is terrorizing you also hurt someone you cared about?" I cry, tears streaming down my face. "Why didn't she tell me sooner?" My whole body begins to shake. "Derek! Derek hurt Mrs. Williams! How long has he been here, Hayden? And don't tell me this is the first time. It's not. They've been doing this a lot longer than this year."

"You're right," he admits, taking a step towards me. "Before they went after Corry, they went after Jake." Abigail's older brother. "And Derek used Abigail to get close to him."

"What?"

"It's true," another voice answers.

Abigail clutches her bag tight to her chest, unsure if she should come any closer. Part of me wants to run over to her and hug her. Another part of me wants to run away and pretend this isn't happening. That Derek wasn't the mystery boyfriend we used to tease her about all the time when she was still in high school. But one look at her face says it's true. That the guy she used to always talk about—the one she met over the summer that played guitar and lived in Chicago with his uncle—would turn out to be the monster that shot my mother. The monster that wants to use my vulnerable brother to bring drugs and crime to our small town.

"You could have told me sooner." I choke. "Maybe my mom would have been okay."

"I'm so sorry," she whispers. "I didn't know that was going to happen. Things were never this bad. That man, Jason? He worked for Derek. One of Derek's men has turned on him. He's trying to regain control and—"

"I'm right in the middle of it, remember?" Turning to Hayden, I ask, "And how long did you know about this?"

He keeps his steely gaze centered. "Not long enough to do something about it."

"Until now," Abigail adds.

I look at the busy street ahead of us. "What the heck is that supposed to mean?"

"It means that maybe we can stop all of this crap before it gets here," Hayden growls. "We can make things right." Our eyes meet. "And the best way is for us to take him out before he has a chance of getting back to Valleyfield."

Confusion flourishes through me. "Meaning?"

"I'm going on a road trip, Ember. And I want you to come with me."

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